As long as it takes for time to forget
by Gerbillcat
Summary: 10thDoctorRose Set immediately after 'The Parting of the Ways', it basically deals with Rose's reaction to the doctors new appearance. This is my first ever post.
1. Chapter 1

This is my first ever post so please be kind. The story is set right after the end of 'The Parting of the Ways'.

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As long as it takes for time to forget

Rose stood motionless watching in shock as the doctor, seemingly undeterred admired his new appearance as much as he could without the aid of a mirror. What had had happened to her doctor? Was this even him anymore? He didn't look like him, talk like him and he certainly didn't smile like him. Gone was his youthful enthusiasm, his abundance of excited energy. He just stood there cool, calm and self-involved as he pulled and adjusted his trademark leather jacket. There was an air of sophistication about him that had not been evident in his old self, he had always been self-confident but now it seemed he was just more of something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Her heart froze as he stopped examining himself and his eyes looked up to meet hers. Rose noted he didn't smile at first, he just sort of looked at her quizzically in a way that made him look like he wondering why his usually mouthy companion was being so quiet. This assumption of what he was thinking bothered Rose and made her feel he was even less of her doctor than she had originally thought. Her doctor would already understand how difficult this must be for her, her doctor would have already tried to do or say something to put her at ease, her doctor would have been concerned for her. She knew this because he had tried to warn her before he changed; she knew this because he had tried to make it easier on her before it had even happened.  
Then he smiled, then he spoke; "So how do I look?"  
Rose couldn't talk but managed to stutter a reply. "Erm…you look…you look…different,"

"Well I know that bright spark! But is it better or is it worse? If I do say so myself I looked quite handsome before,"

Rose took a tentative step forward; somehow the words that he had a liking of his old self made her feel more at ease. "I dunno, it's just different,"  
"Hold on, I need a mirror," he noted before bounding off down the hallway and re-emerging more subdued, the expression on his face covered from view by the vanity object he was holding.  
Rose watched as he stood still his left hand touching the face she couldn't see. She became worried for him and suddenly her own concerns over his new appearance were put aside. "Doctor…what's wrong?"  
"I don't know…I don't think there's anything wrong…," he answered slowly as if the concentration on his face was impairing his ability to talk. Then suddenly in another burst of energy he tossed the mirror onto the Tardis controls. "I'm absolutely gorgeous!" He smiled and ran over to his assistant lifting her up into his arms in a bear hug and swinging her around. She looked more than shocked as he put her back onto the ground again.

"Well I see your self-esteems took a massive blow," she remarked sarcastically.  
"Oh Rose, you look even more beautiful to these new eyes," The doctor smiled.  
"Oi you! Stop fishing for a compliment," Rose smirked.  
"Come on can't you just tell me what you think? Like I don't know your hair is softer than a baby's bottom or your eyes are like deep brown pools of soulful beauty,"

"Alright..." She laughed and looked at him her face turning serious and she took a few moments to fully examine his new features. Finally she exclaimed; "Your ears are nicer,"

The doctor was taken aback and was left speechless for a beat. "That's all you can say! A full body over hall and the most outstanding feature you can pick out is the decrease in the size of my ears?"  
"It's not my fault it's just what stuck out the most," she joked trying to keep a serious voice.  
"Ha you're so very funny Rose,"  
"I know I am," she giggled.  
"So come on…what do you really think?"  
"Oh you want approval from a lowly earth being?"  
"Yes for some reason this body seems to care very much for your opinion,"  
"Well like I said you look different…your ears aren't big and you have nice hair…I suppose your kind of cute,"

"Really just 'kind of cute'?" the doctor asked but was met by a 'don't push it' glare from Rose and he decided to back off. "You know what I think I can live with that…for this lifetime anyway,"

The End.


	2. Chapter 2

I wasn't sure whether to continue this story but i had a few ideas and this is what came out. It's a slightly more angsty chapter. I might post some more if i get inspired. Thanks xxx.

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Moonlight in Barcelona

"Here we are then," The doctor announced as he stepped out from the Tardis onto the marble footpath outside. His arms stretched out on either side in a proud showing gesture. "Planet Barcelona,"  
A familiar blonde head peered out from behind the ships blue doors and surveyed what she could see of the earthly named planet. "Looks nice,"  
His head turned to look at her, a baffled expression hung on his new face.  
"Rose we are parked in an alleyway…you can't possibly tell how nice it is from here," the doctor stated, surprised at his companions unusual nonchalance.  
"Well if there alleys are this posh…"Rose feigned a half-smile for the doctor's sake before joining him on the pathway of the ornately decorated backstreet. She looked around at the statues and figures carved into the marble of the buildings walls. The doctor watched her carefully. He knew things weren't fantastic between them; after all he had just turned into a completely different looking being less than 24 hours ago. He thought they working through it; she seemed to have been adjusting before they had got here. She had joked with him, smiled at him which was more than he could ask for and more than he expected. But then she had become solemn, crawling inside herself, trying her best not to look hurt and it pained him that he could cause her to feel that way.  
"Come on I want to show you something," he smiled gently, extending his hand for her to take. Rose looked up into his eyes and saw the same warmth she had seen in her doctor but she still couldn't bring herself to touch him. She simply smiled and gestured for him to start walking. He did his best not to look disappointed, knowing any pain that showed on his face would surely make her feel even worse. And so he started walking out of the alleyway, trying to ignore the sting of tears that pricked his eyes and threatened to spill at any moment.

Rose couldn't look up as they made there way through the near empty streets of a planet she wished she could bring herself to love. It had gotten dark within minutes of them setting off and the cold breeze of the night air chilled her small frame. She hugged herself tightly closing her eyes from time to time. Neither of them spoke to one another and it made her sad that she couldn't talk to him, even in the realm of meaningless small talk.  
Suddenly from the corner of her eye she saw the doctor slow his pace and finally stop. Stopping herself, she looked around at where they were. At some point along the way they had left the city behind and headed onto a wooded trail. They were now standing outside the forest, on a grass covered Cliffside that looked out upon the sparkling lights of whatever city it was they had landed in. The site of the illuminated buildings took her breath away; the magical sparkle of the marble structures in the distance was aided by the moon that shone like a halo around the city.  
"It's beautiful," she said in an almost gasp. He smiled at the childlike wonder on her face, glad that something was finally coaxing an honest emotion from her. Feeling the air get even colder, Rose instinctively wrapped her arms tighter around herself. The doctor noticed her movement and shrugged out of what was now a slightly oversized leather jacket, he knew before he offered it to her that she might react badly to it but somehow he didn't care, somehow he wanted her to explode and say what she really felt. Right at that moment seeing her face return to a vacant stare from the wondrous look that preceded it he knew he was going to have to make the first move.  
"Here, it's cold," He tried to sound caring as he placed the heavy and battered jacket over her small shoulders but he just started to feel angry. He felt angry for her, he felt angry that he had had to change, he felt angry at the thought that no matter what he said or did she would never be the same around him again.  
Rose flinched at the feeling of the jacket and she pushed it off of her.  
"Rose please-," His voice cracked. "I'm trying…"  
"You're trying what?" she spat suddenly.  
"I'm trying to help you," The doctor said concern lacing his every word.  
"Well…You can't," her voice went quiet.  
"No matter what you think, no matter how I look, it's still me in here,"  
"But how do I know that? How can I trust you?"  
"Because you've always trusted me…Rose if I had met you looking like this and then turned into my old self you would still feel this way," Tears started to trickle down her face as he talked. "I know it's hard, I know your grieving but please Rose understand that I've not gone anywhere, that I've not left you,"  
She collapsed into him and began sobbing, his arms felt comforting as they wrapped around her and for the first time since his regeneration she began to feel connected to him again. She buried her face deeper into his chest, the salty product of her grief soaking his shirt. Unconsciously he began kissing her forehead in an effort to sooth the sobs that wracked her body and as her crying wore off and her breathing began to level he talked to her. "Can we get past this?" he mumbled into her hair. Rose looked up, wiping tears out of her eyes.  
"Do you still want me?"  
"I think I'm stuck with you," he laughed hugging her tighter never ever wanting to let her go, hoping that he would never have to.


End file.
